Post by Dakota on Aug 21, 2007 13:33:38 GMT -5
By Kie Turtlecrest
Hadrosaurs are a group of so-called "duckbill" saurians. They were herbivorous, some living in open plains and others in murky marshes. There are two subgroups of hadrosaurs. One has flat heads and resembled other saurians. The other group has beautiful crests, which are used like horns. Both are very musical and capable of tremendous volume and projection. Hadrosaurs have lived since the Cretaceous period. One tribe (or set, as they prefer to be called) of hadrosaur is the Parasaurolophus Set.
Parasaurolophi now live throughout Dinotopia, but are most concentrated in the Southern Swamp. The Swamp is the location of the Parasaurolophus Enclave- a loosely governing body. Through the actions of the Enclave and of individual parasaurolophi, the Set has had (and continues to have) a notable influence on Dinotopian history. There have been three distinct eras of Parasaurolophus history: the Prehistoric Era, the Hadrosaur Guild Era, and the Current (or Extending) Era.
The Prehistoric Era refers to the time before the settling of Dinotopia by saurians. It was in this period that we see the beginning of parasaurolophus culture. The foundations of many saurian cultures (such as language, rituals, music, art, and foods) were laid at this time. This was the era of the greatest parasaurolophus population. The crested hadrosaurs inhabited what is now North America and Asia. Because of this huge territory, there was little widespread parasaurolophian government or even communication. By the time it was necessary to move to Dinotopia, however, the beginnings of the Hadrosaur Guild were in place.
The Hadrosaur Guild Era was a time of change for the parasaurolophi. They found themselves allied with a group of almost all the “duckbills”. The Hadrosaur Guild is the stuff of legends; a coalescence of insidiousness, intrigue, exploration, and excitement. Many consider it the height of the hadrosaur sets- especially the crested Hadrosaurs. It began as an initiative to explore the Southern Swamp, and beyond. Parasaurolophi were instrumental in this due to their ability to communicate over vast distances and their fantastic sense of smell. It is rumored that a parasaurolophus discovered the grassy plain on which Sauropolis now stands. Sadly, the Hadrosaur Guild began to overextend itself. Eventually it began to claim part of the Rainy Basin, much to the displeasure of the carnosaurs. The lambeosaur leader of the Guild, Senator Chastus, ordered the small empire to defend its section of the Basin at all costs. The cost was indeed high. The corythosaurus Set was nearly pushed to extinction, and almost half of the parasaurolophi died in the skirmishes. Finally the parasaurolophus matriarch, Echenné, formed an alliance with the ouranosaur set, which was being forced to fight although they preferred the plains to the Basin. Chastus was overthrown, but Echenné was unable unite the bitter sets. A period of un-acted-upon hostility between the hadrosaurs ensued. It was during this time that the Parasaurolophus Enclave was formed. This was also the time of the great parasaurolophus composers. The Parasaurolophus Set and the Ouranosaurus Set remained very close (as they still do today); and Dinotopia’s ethos of peace is said to have been a result of their example (along with the Ceratopsian Accords and the Carnosaur-Herbivore Pact). The decline of the Era was a sad time for parasaurolophi. They never did fully recover from their losses in the Rainy Basin War. An extended drought kept them subservient to a sheltered life deep in the Southern Swamp. Shadowed by an air of defeat, the hadrosaurs finally reunited in a pale echo of their previous empire. Such was the end of the Hadrosaur Guild Era.
Not too long after the Great Drought ended, a new creature arrived on Dinotopia, humans. They ushered in the Current Era. Although not as long as the other two Eras, the Common Era is also called the Extending Era because it has not yet ended. A legend is passed down through the Parasaurolophus Set (in the form of a ballad- a very popular way for Parasaurolophi to record their history) that a Parasaurolophus and Ouranosaur team were instrumental in the writing of the Code Of Dinotopia. Naturally many groups have similar claims, so it cannot be substantiated any more than the other stories regarding the writing of the Code. In any case cities began to be built, and the Parasaurolophus Set willingly embraced humanity. Sauropolis is rife with examples of parasaurolophian architecture, resembling as it does the gnarled trees of the Southern Swamp. Waterfall City is the second most popular city for parasaurolophi to immigrate to. Nowadays the Parasaurolophus Enclave maintains the Set’s culture and traditions. As new challenges face Dinotopians everywhere, parasaurolophi stand ready to participate and continue to shape the history of this great island.
-Kie
Hadrosaurs are a group of so-called "duckbill" saurians. They were herbivorous, some living in open plains and others in murky marshes. There are two subgroups of hadrosaurs. One has flat heads and resembled other saurians. The other group has beautiful crests, which are used like horns. Both are very musical and capable of tremendous volume and projection. Hadrosaurs have lived since the Cretaceous period. One tribe (or set, as they prefer to be called) of hadrosaur is the Parasaurolophus Set.
Parasaurolophi now live throughout Dinotopia, but are most concentrated in the Southern Swamp. The Swamp is the location of the Parasaurolophus Enclave- a loosely governing body. Through the actions of the Enclave and of individual parasaurolophi, the Set has had (and continues to have) a notable influence on Dinotopian history. There have been three distinct eras of Parasaurolophus history: the Prehistoric Era, the Hadrosaur Guild Era, and the Current (or Extending) Era.
The Prehistoric Era refers to the time before the settling of Dinotopia by saurians. It was in this period that we see the beginning of parasaurolophus culture. The foundations of many saurian cultures (such as language, rituals, music, art, and foods) were laid at this time. This was the era of the greatest parasaurolophus population. The crested hadrosaurs inhabited what is now North America and Asia. Because of this huge territory, there was little widespread parasaurolophian government or even communication. By the time it was necessary to move to Dinotopia, however, the beginnings of the Hadrosaur Guild were in place.
The Hadrosaur Guild Era was a time of change for the parasaurolophi. They found themselves allied with a group of almost all the “duckbills”. The Hadrosaur Guild is the stuff of legends; a coalescence of insidiousness, intrigue, exploration, and excitement. Many consider it the height of the hadrosaur sets- especially the crested Hadrosaurs. It began as an initiative to explore the Southern Swamp, and beyond. Parasaurolophi were instrumental in this due to their ability to communicate over vast distances and their fantastic sense of smell. It is rumored that a parasaurolophus discovered the grassy plain on which Sauropolis now stands. Sadly, the Hadrosaur Guild began to overextend itself. Eventually it began to claim part of the Rainy Basin, much to the displeasure of the carnosaurs. The lambeosaur leader of the Guild, Senator Chastus, ordered the small empire to defend its section of the Basin at all costs. The cost was indeed high. The corythosaurus Set was nearly pushed to extinction, and almost half of the parasaurolophi died in the skirmishes. Finally the parasaurolophus matriarch, Echenné, formed an alliance with the ouranosaur set, which was being forced to fight although they preferred the plains to the Basin. Chastus was overthrown, but Echenné was unable unite the bitter sets. A period of un-acted-upon hostility between the hadrosaurs ensued. It was during this time that the Parasaurolophus Enclave was formed. This was also the time of the great parasaurolophus composers. The Parasaurolophus Set and the Ouranosaurus Set remained very close (as they still do today); and Dinotopia’s ethos of peace is said to have been a result of their example (along with the Ceratopsian Accords and the Carnosaur-Herbivore Pact). The decline of the Era was a sad time for parasaurolophi. They never did fully recover from their losses in the Rainy Basin War. An extended drought kept them subservient to a sheltered life deep in the Southern Swamp. Shadowed by an air of defeat, the hadrosaurs finally reunited in a pale echo of their previous empire. Such was the end of the Hadrosaur Guild Era.
Not too long after the Great Drought ended, a new creature arrived on Dinotopia, humans. They ushered in the Current Era. Although not as long as the other two Eras, the Common Era is also called the Extending Era because it has not yet ended. A legend is passed down through the Parasaurolophus Set (in the form of a ballad- a very popular way for Parasaurolophi to record their history) that a Parasaurolophus and Ouranosaur team were instrumental in the writing of the Code Of Dinotopia. Naturally many groups have similar claims, so it cannot be substantiated any more than the other stories regarding the writing of the Code. In any case cities began to be built, and the Parasaurolophus Set willingly embraced humanity. Sauropolis is rife with examples of parasaurolophian architecture, resembling as it does the gnarled trees of the Southern Swamp. Waterfall City is the second most popular city for parasaurolophi to immigrate to. Nowadays the Parasaurolophus Enclave maintains the Set’s culture and traditions. As new challenges face Dinotopians everywhere, parasaurolophi stand ready to participate and continue to shape the history of this great island.
-Kie
Is it just us?